BISHKEK. July 19 (Interfax-AVN) - The anti-terrorist coalition will not increase the number of troops in Kyrgyzstan unless the situation deteriorates in Afghanistan or in Kyrgyzstan itself, Brigadier General George Patrick, the new commander of the coalition force in Kyrgyzstan, told a briefing in Bishkek on Friday.
The making of the decision to increase the number of troops in Kyrgyzstan or to engage coalition forces in operations against terrorism in other countries fully depends on the political leadership of the nations forming part of the coalition, Patrick said.
If the theater of operations moves to other countries, the coalition troops will obey to orders made on the supreme level, the general stressed.
The anti-terrorist coalition base in the Manas airport outside Bishkek houses 1,900 servicemen from the United States, France, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia and South Korea.
The base operates 12 FA-18D Hornet planes of the U.S. Air Force, six Mirage 2000 fighters and an C-135 aerial tanker of the French Air Force, a Boeing 707 aerial tanker of the Australian Air Force, a Superpuma helicopter and an C-130 plane of the Spanish Air Force as well as C-130 planes from Denmark and the Netherlands.
Coalition forces are accomplishing missions in the framework of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and delivering humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
Servicemen of some countries staying at the base may be replaced by servicemen of other countries in autumn this year. The governments of several nations have recently signed agreements with Kyrgyzstan on the placement of their servicemen in the country's territory, Patrick said.
The general arrived in Bishkek on June 28 to replace General Wayne Lloyd as commander of the anti-terrorist coalition forces. The command over forces is replaced every three months.